A railing bracket of the type mentioned by way of introduction is disclosed in WO94/21490. This railing bracket has two clamping jaws which are displaceable in the longitudinal direction of a load carrier strut both together along the load carrier strut and mutually in relation to one another. Inside the load carrier strut is disposed an operating device for the movement and locking of the clamping jaws.
The clamping jaws have mutually facing clamping surfaces for cooperation with a railing bar. These clamping surfaces incline in relation to the normal to the longitudinal direction of the load carrier strut so that the lower ends of the clamping surfaces are located considerably closer to one another than their upper ends. The clamping surfaces are substantially straight.
A railing bracket of this type may be employed on railing profiles of varying cross sections, since the aperture which the two clamping surfaces together define is powerfully undercut. However, there is the serious drawback that, if the bracket is applied on a railing profile of slight cross section (e.g. a slim tube), the load carrier strut will be located very close to the upper side of the railing while, on the other hand, the distance will be considerably greater if the bracket is applied on a railing profile of larger cross section.
EP 0 503 305 A1 shows a railing bracket of approximately the same fundamental type as that mentioned by way of introduction. However, this railing bracket is designed in such a manner that it may only be employed together with a single railing profile type.
In view of the above described deficiencies associated with the use of known designs for load carrier railing brackets, the present invention has been developed to alleviate these drawbacks and provide further benefits to the user. These enhancements and benefits are described in greater detail hereinbelow with respect to several alternative embodiments of the present invention.